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of the most gorgeous estate jewelry tion about 25 years ago,” Nickell told us.
you’ve ever seen as well as silver serv- “It started with the old Creole restau-
ing pieces, porcelain sculpture and rants, but now it’s offered throughout
dinnerware, glassware and antique the whole city.”
furnishings that belie this city’s grandest
The classic Creole dishes — creamy
aspirations over its 300 years.
sauces, fresh seafood and rich desserts
If you have time for only one such shop, that define New Orleans’ cuisine — in-
find Keil’s Antiques at 325 Royal Street. spire today’s reveillon menus, but each
A family firm since 1899, Keil’s is literally restaurant puts its own modern twists
“a treasure house of antiques” that had on them.
my jaw dropping with desire over marble
We made our first foray into this culinary
mantels, chandeliers, silver mustard
ritual at Tujague’s, the city’s second-
pots and, especially, some truly beauti-
oldest (after Antoine’s) restaurant that’s Top: The classic courtyard at the historic
ful, one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry. You Williams’ residence in the French Quarter,
been a locals’ favorite for 150 years. The one of several historic homes open for
could make your special someone very
first course offered a choice of oysters touring. Below: Strolling the streets of the
happy here. French Quarter never gets old.
en brochette, crispy bacon-wrapped
New Orleans restaurants were about to Louisiana oysters on garlic crostini,
make us very happy, too. topped with creole meuniere sauce;
marinated crab claws salad; or crawfish
Reveillon dinners have always been
and goat cheese crepes served with a
luxurious and decadent — feasts after
chardonnay creole cream.
the fast, after all. The Creole tradition fell
out of favor among families here in the The second course was a truly classic
1900s, partly because these extravagant NOLA dish, Creole Turtle Soup.
meals are harder to prepare. “Local res-
The third course offered a choice of
taurants decided to bring back the tradi-
filet mignon with Yukon gold mashed

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